


Two of A Kind

by ButtonPastel



Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Everyone Is Gay, Fluff and Angst, Gay Panic, I'm tired, M/M, Second Chances, Zib: Help! I'm FEELING
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:08:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27744988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ButtonPastel/pseuds/ButtonPastel
Summary: Two days after destroying the ZimVoid, Dib convinces Zib to live with him and his family back in his universe. Years later, they graduate from highschool and Zib bumps into a stranger on accident. After talking for a bit, the stranger asks to meet Zib again and Zib is immediately head over heels. But maybe, that just a part out the plan...
Relationships: Dib & Zib | Zim Number 1, Dib/Zim (mentioned), Twim/Zib | Zim Number 2/Zim Number1
Comments: 6
Kudos: 29





	1. Starting Over

Zib sits on top of what used to be his tower upon a now destroyed city.  
“So… What now? I have nothing now… No city, no Zims, nothing to get my arse outta here, and I certainly DON’T have company. *Sigh* Guess I’ll end up starving to death.”  
His stomach grumbled and gnawed at him the moment he mentioned starvation, reminding him that he hadn’t eaten for… who knows how long now.  
“Huh, I guess there isn’t a universe where I don’t talk to myself after all?”  
Zib jolts up and turns around in shock to see… Dib? The one from that Zim’s universe who ruined his entire plans and left him in this empty barren in the first place?!

“YOU!!! What are you doing here?! How did you even get here?!”  
Dib nervously chuckles and scratches the back of his head.  
“Um, well… My dad made a machine that allows people to enter alternate realities a few months ago. So using dad’s machine, I searched and searched for the alternate universe you were in. It took 2 days, but I found it.”  
Zib’s brows furrows in confused shock before he huffs and turns around. Suddenly, one of his antennae-cowlicks twitches when he hears the crumpling of wrapping paper and catches a whiff of a familiar, yet forgotten, smell.

Zib turns around just as Dib offers him a cheeseburger. Zib’s stomach grumbles as he quickly grabs the burger and takes a bite out of it.  
Dib flinches and shouts, “Geez, you really are hungry!”  
Zib glares at him.  
“But then again, you might have been for a while.”  
Dib sits down beside Zib and hands him some fries and a soda, which Zib took with gusto.  
“So, you’re saying you and your idiot Zim have left me here for 2 days?”  
“Two and a half if you count after everything.”  
Zib huffs and gulps the huge chunk of the burger(without chewing somehow) before asking, “Why are you even here?”  
Dib nervously adjusts his glasses as he answers, “I want you to come with me… to live in my dimension.”

Zib had to stop himself from choking on his burger before looking at Dib in shock. “WHAT?! WHY?!”  
Dib turns around to face Zib.  
“Zib, I’m not gonna let you starve or gain a lack of hygiene or let whatever natural causes kill you. You don’t deserve that.”  
Zib looks at him suspiciously before taking his hunger out on the fries.  
“Please Zib! Come with me! I can help-” “Help with what?! You already took away whatever I had left! Let alone there is nothing left for you to ‘help’ with!” Zib yelled while using air quotations.

Dib sighs and says, “Look! I know you’re still mad at me and you’ll probably never forgive me. But, please don’t let that grudge stop you from starting over. I want you to have a second chance. You NEED that second chance. I told Clembrane, dad, and Gaz about you and what happened. That’s how I was allowed to have access to it in the first place, they want that chance for you too. So please, come with me. Let’s start over.”

Zib looked at him wide-eyed at the mention of dad and Gaz. Zib’s lips pressed together hard as his heart twists in his chest. He thinks about Dib’s offer and sees that there were more pros than cons.  
Zib gives out a long, hard sigh before saying, “FINE.”  
Dib smiles and gets up while exclaiming, “GREAT! Trust me, you’re not gonna regret this!”  
‘I already regret it now’, Zib grumpily thought as he followed Dib. They walk for a while before making it to the portal that sent Dib here. Dib looks at Zib and asks, “So, how do you feel about this?”  
Zib rocks back and forth and answers, “Nervous, but excited… I hope you don’t make me regret this.”  
Dib laughs as he responds, “I’ll try!” As they entered the portal, Zib remembered a question he wanted to ask.

“Um, one question though. Who’s Clembrane?”


	2. Years Later...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to warn you guys, I used BamSara’s Galaxy Days Chapter as reference to write this to move things along. Be sure to read her stories ‘cause she’s an excellent artist and writer who deserves do much create and attention.

High School graduation was immeasurably boring.

The auditorium was so brightly lit that it was giving Zib a headache, and the cluster of students all sitting together made the place reek of perfume and cologne that everyone had sprayed on prior. The kid sitting left of Zib was playing games on his phone while Dib was quietly sitting to his right, clearly as annoyed, bored, and tired as he was. While the principal was giving his speech, the girl behind him was blowing bubble gum. To top it off, he’s pretty sure the person in front him was snickering and whispering as if he was plotting the biggest senior prank the city would ever see in a span of five minutes.

The cap and gowns were black and purple and even though they were his favorite colors, the fabric was thin yet loose and was itchy in places it really shouldn’t have been. Along with that, the cap sat a bit uncomfortably on his head despite braiding down both of his cowlicks. Zib picks at the fabric folding over as he scans the room, speech tuned out.

Gaz is sitting in the bleachers a distance away with her usual stoic appearance on her face. She was in her usual black boots, hoodie, and skirt whereas the surrounding seated people were all wearing pearls and ties. A robotic thing beside her, a screen on a metal stand, displays his father’s attentive face overlooking the stadium and the sea of students ready to snag a worthless piece of paper and ditch this haunted land forever.

Zib wonders if the video call quality is high enough that his father can see the disappointment inch on his face at the physical absence, but he shouldn’t have expected better. The pixels shift, his father’s goggles turn to look in his direction and one of the robot stand’s arms raise up the ridgepole (nearly smacking the older women sitting beside it) and giving him a stiff wave. Zib raises his hand and returns the gesture, making sure to falsify a smile, and turns away to see green in the crowd.

Zim sits a few rows ahead and adjacent of him, just close enough for Zib to see him pick and claw at the front of his gown. His eyes are scrunched together and lips tight, obviously irritated with the fabric and silence and clearly not enjoying his time ‘sitting here amongst hundreds of pig-smellies for some stupid ceremony’, or at least that’s what Zib thinks he might say. The alien’s fingers twitch, curl into fists and grumbling something too far away for him to hear.  
He looks awkward and out of place, which was normal for him, actually. No one around him seemed to notice, which wasn’t surprising given the fact that most of these people attended school with him for years and not once ever had the inkling of an idea that he’s a little too green to be considered human, but that was a frustration for a different therapy session.

Dib wondered if anyone would catch on when Zim registered his last name as ‘Invader’ when accounting for alphabetical seat assignments, but not a single person batted an eyelid. Hell, even the Pak bulging out from underneath the gown should have been a dead give away with the pink light peeking through the fabric. His cap sits awkwardly on his head, probably cramping the antenna underneath it’s weight combined with the wig. A pause, his head pops up and an odd chill appears on Zib’s skin(and possibly Dib’s as well). Zim’s head swivels around to meet Dib’s stare. A couple students blink at the “natural” angle of Zim’s neck and lean away from him.

Amber and purple share a silent staring contest before Dib bares his teeth in a smile and a subtle thumbs up in Zim’s direction. The Invader’s expression doesn't change, mouth thinned into a line and staring in blank, unamused eye contact. Dib keeps his smile and changes his thumbs up to a much ruder gesture that Zib’s certain the alien should be able to recognize. Zim blinks; Zib tries not to snicker as the corners of Zim’s mouth twitch.

A loud, grating noise on the ears interrupts them and all whispers shush as the principal taps on the mic, smiles with too many teeth and begins to call up each student’s name one by one.

After all the facilities & fake smiles, class pictures, and shaking hands, food is offered near the end of the ceremony. Graduates and their families alike gather in clumps of people, chattering and congratulating each other, taking selfies with their diploma. Zib doesn’t care too much about accidentally bending his when he tucks it underneath his arm, snags a meat & veggie-kabob from the refreshments, and books it out of the auditorium.

There’s people around him taking their last tour of the hallways and spewing poetry about the best years of their lives to one another as Zib throws away the kabob stick, changes out of his gown and cap, and into his casual clothes in the restroom. Zib ducked in between the crowds in order to get outside and find his motorcycle in the chaotic parking. And he takes extra precaution not to run any happy-go-lucky families taking pictures as he backs up and peels out onto the road. Looking for Dib or Gaz in the middle of the chaos would have been pointless. Knowing them, they’d ditch the first chance they would have gotten too.

The day goes about routine. He goes home, stuffs his gown and cap inside of the closet, takes a shower, and sits at the front of his laptop screen debunking poorly made Cryptid sighting videos until Gaz bangs on his door and calls him down for dinner.

Foodio’s made something special tonight while Clembrane made pudding for dessert, apparently his & Dib’s favorite dish, but it doesn’t even register in his mind as he picks at it with his fork nor does he care to note that his ‘favorite’ dish was something he mentioned in passing when he was fourteen. Dib is texting Zim and Gaz is stuffing food into her mouth with one hand and plays on her game slave with the other (an impressive feat when you think about it) while their father, or really his projection, sits at the head of the table without a plate in front of him. Membrane eats on whatever he has on his end of the video, and aside from the occasional commentary on how well cooked the sliced carrots are, dinner is relatively silent.

“So, kids!” Membrane’s voice is only slightly less booming coming from the robot’s speaker, but it still draws their attention up from their plates. “Now, with high school ending, have the three of you thought about what you’re going to do with your lives? Dib and Zib, at least.” Membrane was reliably blunt as he was absent. It’s hard to tell if he’s smiling underneath his lab coat. “Gaz, you have another year or two I believe? Do you know what you want to be?”

“Professional gaming.” Gaz is just as blunt. “As soon as I graduate, I’m tacking my wins and getting paid for it. I’ll be undefeatable.”

“I believe you will! Good to see you’ve figured all that out!” Membrane’s praise sounds rehearsed and routine. Zib is still nibbling on his peas and mashed potatoes when their father’s eyes shift to them. Even through a video screen and hidden behind goggles, there’s something inherently unnerving about their father’s attention, especially when it’s not rarely given. “And what about you, my sons? Have you given any colleges a good thought? You two have your picks of the bunch, you know. They’ll be honored to have a member of the Membrane family as one of their students.”  
Dib doesn’t look up from his plate, cheek resting in his hand and picking at the veggies. “I don’t know if I want to go through college.” He thinks for a moment. “At least, not right now.” Zib swallows a piece of meatloaf and says, “I… feel the same as Dib. I still haven’t decided on a college yet.”

“Perfectly understandable! Many scientists in their time did independent studies before ever entering an academic institute. Many famous ones had their biggest discoveries working alone, you know. Just like your old man!” There’s glee in Membrane’s voice, positive and booming as always. He always sounds like an overly excited TV show host, which made sense considering his father did have his own science show a few years ago. “What do you have in mind for right now?”

Zib scraps his fork with his finger as he responds, “Something involving Visual and Performing Arts along with Foreign Languages. I… want to… create things and travel the world sometimes, I guess.” Zib shrugs as Membrane nods with a hum and says, “Interesting. And you, Dib?”

Dib’s own voice is barely above a mumble. “Independent studies.”

“Wonderful!” The video feed of Membrane claps his hands together, which sounds awkwardly hollow between his gloves. “What sort of studies? I’m interested to know what you’ll be working on.”  
Dib’s fork stops scrapping the plate and Zib mentally prepares himself. Gaz has stopped playing her Game slave, he can only tell because her thumb isn’t making that clicking noise against that one button she hasn’t fixed when it cracked ages ago.

Inwardly, Zib already knows what's coming. “Parapsychology, cryptozoology, and other paranormal sciences. I’m still going to be a Paranormal Investigator.”  
An even quieter hush over takes the dinner table. Dib’s amber eyes stare into the untouched potion of his food as his appetite is clearly weighing down the nausea creeping up from his stomach. Zib knows Dib can feel the burning combination of him, their sister’s, Clembrane’s, and their father’s eyes boring into the top of his head. He wishes he can reassure him, but he knows he can’t, at least not now.

“I see.” Membrane’s voice has dulled. He can hear the clack of the professor putting down his own eating utensils, folding his hands together as if he was really in the room with them right now. “Have you considered….another career path? You have other options available to you.”  
“I know.” Dib’s grip on the fork tightens. “I just want to be a Paranormal Investigator.”

Membrane makes a noise of neutral acknowledgement from his side of the feed. “I understood that part. I’m asking if you’ve considered something perhaps less… dangerous?” Zib was expecting a protest, but that sentence isn’t quite worded the way he thought it would go. Zib and Dib glance up towards the screen and immediately look back down again when the cold glare of the goggles is all they find. “You seem to have a knack for getting yourself into all sorts of trouble. It has worried me. I’d be more comfortable if you considered a safer career-”

Zib bites his tongue before opening his mouth, but Gaz is the one that beats him to the punch. “You’re one to talk, dad. Playing with nuclear science and experimentation isn’t what I’d exactly call ‘safe’.” Gaz’s tone isn’t disrespectful, just factual, something they’ve all picked up from their father in the manner of speaking.  
Still, the video feed flickers in the slightest as Membrane’s attention shifts from son to son to daughter. “Science can still be done within the comfort of safety, my daughter. Rules and law are put into place to-”

Zib has a cheek full of meatloaf, talking while chewing as he interrupts. “Pretty sure you haven’t cared about ‘laws’ for nearly two decades now.”  
Membrane shuts up pretty quickly. Dib sinks lower into his seat, Zib continues eating, and Gaz simply swallows her food and unpauses her boss fight. The sound of Membrane clearing his throat made Zib and Dib glance up to see their father adjust the lab coat's collar closer to his face. They watched the subtle shift of his gaze fall back onto Dib before dropping his own eyes back down to his plate. Zib drinks a little bit of his fruit juice before eating some of his peas and carrots.

“I don’t trust your organization's ability to provide you acquitted equipment and gear to keep yourself safe, should you get yourself into any… situations.” Membrane says. “I’d feel more comfortable with the idea if you used Membrane assets instead.”  
Dib looks up from his plate, blinking. “What?”  
“I’m saying should she need ever arise for any sort of equipment or transportation, Membrane labs is open to you, son.” His father sounds strained as his fingers can be heard drumming on the table through the video feed. Dib blinks once again, twice even to make sure he’s hearing this correctly and Zib’s mouth slowly grew into a small smile while Gaz had one eye open and was watching the screen with apparent interest.

“Despite our… disagreement on your life path, I’d be much more comfortable as a father knowing you’d at least be safe. You can use the lab here in the house for whatever gear you may need to craft yourself, as well as any… eh, ‘experiments’ you might need to conduct. As long as some degree of science is involved, and you don’t raise the dead.” Membrane’s tone is a mixture of disappointment, lightheartedness, and sincerity. It concerns Zib that he doesn’t know which one sounds the most genuine.  
“And remember, if you should have a change of heart and realize where real science lays, you’ll have a position at Membrane labs waiting for you.” A rehearsed tone of voice. “The offer will always stand.”

Dib’s fork falls from his grip before Dib shakes his head out of shock.  
“Alright Dad, I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks. For the opportunity, I mean. And the lab stuff.”  
The skin underneath his father’s goggles wrinkle in a way that might tell he’d be smiling behind his lab coat. This was… not what Zib was expecting to hear today, Dib clearly didn’t expect it either. Even Gaz has one eye peeled open towards the screen.  
“So! With that cleared up, let’s discuss some other things, shall we?” Membrane’s gusto returns full force. “Have any of you taken an interest in a marriage candidate yet?”  
All three siblings outwardly groan, much to their father’s amusement. Dib slumps and pushes his plate towards his sister, who sticks her fork into the leftover meatloaf and stuffs it in her mouth in one gulp. Zib stuffs his face with the veggies and meatloaf to avoid answering, mind running to further thoughts as Gaz tries to deflect the conversation somewhere less embarrassing.

Eventually their father takes the vague and deflecting answers as satisfactory, bids them a good evening, and ends the video feed. It’ll probably be another couple of days to a week until they hear from him again, but this was the first time they’ve all eaten dinner together (sorta) in nearly a year. It’s not ideal, but Zib doesn’t linger on it as he puts away the dishes. Dib announces that he’s gonna sleep over at Zim’s as he grabs his duffle bag and heads for the door while Gaz reclaims the living room couch and plays something loud and gruesome. Clembrane walks upstairs to do whatever as Zib heads towards the couch and sits with his sister.

The both Zib and Gaz slump against the couch, leaning on opposite ends of the armrest with their feet tangled. Luckily, it’s been one of ‘those days’ where Gaz is tolerant enough not to kill her brothers should they breathe the same space as her, and Zib isn’t really feeling up to the role of being shut inside his room alone for the night. She’s playing something violent, some game that Zib doesn’t remember of but watches contently as her player character slices through zombies with a flaming chainsaw.

Everytime she takes a hit near death, Zib can feel the heel of her foot kick his knee but he doesn’t say anything, just slumps against the cushion and lets the exhaustion of the day wash over him. Eventually, the flashing lights and the dimness of the living room become a blurred mess, the screaming sound effects a background noise and Zib slowly drifts off to sleep.


	3. L.A. American Boy

Zib fixes his beanie before looking over his outfit. He was wearing a hoodie version of his usual shirt, which was light green with a face of an alien plastered in the front, along with black jeans and boots. He walks down to see his siblings chilling on the couch and waiting for him. “Finally finished, princess?” Gaz sarcastically asks, pausing her game and putting it up. Zib scoffs before saying, “Oh come on. It didn’t take me that long.”

Dib chuckles as he asks, “You have the location I sent you?” Zib takes his phone out and responds, “If you’re talking about a club called Night Savage hiring us this time, then yes.” Dib hops off the couch and moves to the door and says, “Ok, let’s go then.” Zib and Gaz follow outside as Zib asks, “So, separate vehicles this time?” Gaz nods and says, “Yeah, I’m going to this video game tournament I signed up to join after this.” Dib hops onto his truck and says, “Zim wants me to come over again, so yeah.” Zib nods and heads to the garage as his siblings drive off. He sighs as he gets on his motorcycle and turns in the key.

___________________  
Zib rides his motorcycle towards the city and looks at his phone to find the said location. He’s just a few blocks away from the location, he just needs to keep heading straight…

Zib looks up from his phone to see he almost ran a red light and stops his motorcycle just in time to stop from accidentally running over someone. Zib’s heart jumps as he quickly looks up and quickly says, “Oh! I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to almost hit you like that! It was an acci-...” His words slowed down to a stop as he looked up to see who he nearly hit.

It was a guy, the largest(other than his dad) and the most handsome he’s ever seen. Not even the jocks from his school can compare to him. The man had brown hair and tanned brown skin with a stubble beard, along with strong facial features that were curved into shock. When Zib looked down a bit he noticed he wore a brown leather jacket, a plain white t-shirt, black-belted boots, and black jeans. He even had a golden pendant labeled Z that was chained around his neck.

Zib gulped and his cheeks flushed he hesitantly looked back up at him. He was about to continue his apology when the man backed up and responded, “It’s alright. But, you might want to get out of the way tho. The light’s about to turn green.” Zib looked up and noticed it and quickly moved his motorcycle out of the street. As the light turned green, Zib turned around to look back up at the man. “I really am sorry, tho. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?” Zib shyly asks. The man light-heartingly chuckles before responding, “Like I said before, it’s quite alright. Buut, I AM looking for this club I wanted to try out. Do you know a club called Night Savage?”

Zib perks up and answers, “Oh, yes I do. I was just heading there myself. I have to perform there with my sibs for the night.” The man’s face turns into one of interest. “Oh, do you mind leading me there.” Zib shakes his head and turns off his motorcycle before hopping off. Zib starts walking as he responds, “Not at all, follow me.” The man starts following Zib and says, “I’m Twim by the way. What’s your name?” Zib gives Twim a small smile before answering, “Nice to meet you, Twim. I’m Zib.”  
___________________

It took a while, but the walk was filled with nice conversation and a few moments for comforting silence here and there. When they finally make it to the club, Zib parks his motorcycle before they go inside. The entire place flashed with various neon colors as the remix of Bang Bang by Will.i.am played in the background. Zib waved a farewell to Twim before he walked pass the dance floor up to his sibs next to the stage. Dib and Gaz noticed him before rushing up to him and started asking him various questions.

“Zib, you’re almost late. You always come on time. Did something happen?” Zib tried to calm down his siblings’ fleeting questions before Gaz asked, “Who was that you came here with?” Zib was surprised at the question, but answered anyway. “Oh him? That’s Twim! I, uh… almost ran him over by accident…”  
“WHAT?!”

Gaz was ready to lecture before they were called on stage. Gaz sighed with a facepalm before saying, “We’ll discuss this later…” She went upstage and Dib gave Zib a reassuring smile before they joined her on stage. Zib looked upon the crowd and spotted Twim at the bar looking at them with interest as Gaz introduced the song they were about to sing. Zib took a deep breath as Dib started up the song

Dib- Male backup singer  
Zib- American Boy  
Gaz- The Party- L.A.  
[https://youtu.be/TE-vqmskcPc]()

The crowd cheered as the song finished and Zib & his sibs got off stage. Zib wobbled to the seat next to Twim before ordering some fruit punch from the bar. As Zib drinks the fruit punch to quinch his throat, Twim looks at him in pure shock. “Wow! I didn’t know you were a singer! You have such a lovely voice.” Zib jumps in surprise before his face instantly heats up and thanks him. Twim leans his face onto his hand before asking something that took Zib off guard.

“Hey do you mind if we, uh… go out sometime?” Twim asks while rubbing the back of his head. Zib nearly chokes on his drink and stares at him wide-eyed. “W-wait! Y-you wanna go out… with me?” Zib squeaks as he points a finger to himself. Twim smirks with a raised brow and asks, “Yeah, why? Is there someone behind you?” Zib turns around slightly before realizing the joke and snickering with flushed cheeks. “A-Ah! M-my bad!” Twim laughs and waves it off saying, “It’s ok. But, do you have a pen?”

Zib nods and digs around his bag saying, “Uh, yeah, yeah! I-I do!” He finds his pen and Twim grabs a napkin before scribbling on it and handing the pen and napkin back to Zib. “So, tomorrow at 3?” Twim asks with a raised eyebrow. Zib’s face gets hotter as he eagerly nods his head and responds, “Sure. Um, where are we gonna go?” Twim stands and tells Zib, “We can text about the details later.” before disappearing into the crowd.

Zib raises a brow at the sentence. “Text?” Zib’s eyes widen before he quickly looks down at the napkin. It had some digits with a note saying ‘See you tomorrow’ next to it. Zib’s face became a rosey pink as his eyes slowly became saucers staring at the napkin. He was quick to snap out of it when his brother called him over saying it was time to go. Zib shook his head out of the daydream before dashing towards Dib and Gaz while stuffing the napkin into his jacket pocket.

___________________  
Zib leaves the club with a happy and lovestruck look on his face as he walks through the parking lot with a lovestruck look on his face. Dib notices this and jokingly asks, “Wow Zib, that’s a new look for you! Did something happen?” Zib is internally squealing as he responds, “You’re NOT gonna believe what happened today! You know that guy I had arrived with? HE gave ME his number!” Zib continues to talk about him as they arrive to their vehicles. Gaz gives him the famous Membrane family face as she says, “...Bro. Bro chill.” Dib shushes her as he says, “No, let him have this.”

Gaz sighs as she hops into her Mustang Specs and says, “Fine, if you say so. By the way Zib, be careful when you ride this time. Don’t wanna end up going on another date.” Zib flushes in embarrassment before Dib reassuringly pats him on the back. “She’s just messing with ya, bro. But, DO be careful with driving this time.” Zib nods as Dib hops into his truck and drives off to Zim’s house. Zib takes a deep breath and sighs out happily before he hops onto his motorcycle and takes off.

_Hehehe…  
A few surprises, but all according to plan~_


	4. First Date

“Are you sure you can handle this?” Gaz asked as Zib was packing up some chips, cookies, sandwiches, and candy bars in a basket. Zib nods with a hum as he grabs a few pouched drinks and water bottles from out the fridge. Zib sighs a little as he says, “You’re acting like I’ve never been on a date before.” Gaz turns around while still playing her game and sassily says, “It’s because you never have been on a date before.” Zib turns to her pulling off the Membrane face as he responds, “You know what I mean.”

He finishes packing up the picnic basket before looking himself over one more time. He’s wearing his usual gray beanie that matches the color of his jacket and has his black boots and jeans on along with his black choker. The only thing he wore that wasn’t black or gray was his slightly oversized t-shirt. It was light green with a green alien plastered in the middle.

“But seriously, if you need anything, just call.” Gaz says before taking a bite of her pizza. Zib laughs and responds with an, “Ok.” Before he wanders out to the house with a basket in hand.

Zib wanders through the park as he tries to find the place they’re supposed to meet up. He eventually finds the bench in front of the lake like how Twim describes and sits on it. He waited for a while before he heard the sound of footsteps nearby. He turns around to find Twim walking towards him. He waves at him and Twim waves back in response. “Hey Zib, have you been waiting long?” Twim asks as he casually sits down next to him. Zib shakes his head and answers, “No. I just got here actually.”

Twim smiles before looking down to see Zib’s picnic basket with him. Twim has a surprised look on his face as he asks, “You made lunch?” Zib shyly scratches his cheek as he responds, “Yeah… We decided to go to the park, so I thought ‘Why not?’.” Twim chuckles as Zib’s cheeks grew hotter. “That’s really sweet of you. But, I’ll be more than ok with buying us some food.” Zib gives Twim a shy smile before opening his picnic basket. “Thirsty?” Zib asks as he grabs a water bottle. Twim jolts upon seeing a water bottle and Zib arches his eyebrow in concern. “Are you ok?” Zib asks as he puts the water bottle down beside him.

Twim nervously laughs before answering, “Sorry, just… aquaphobic…” Zib’s eyes widen as he stutters out, “O-oh man! I-I’m soooo sorry! I didn’t know!” Twim laughs and waves it off. “It’s ok. Stuff like that is not that easy to detect.” Zib grabs a pouched drink that was fruit punch flavored and hands it to Twim, saying, “Lucky I always come ‘prepared’, I guess.” Twim smiles as he grabs the pouch and thanks him. Zib pulls out the lunch so Twim won’t have to and places it between them.

Twim grabs a sandwich before taking a bite and humming in content. “Wow! This is really good! You made this?” Zib nods and grabs a cookie, responding, “Made the cookies too.” Twim grabs a cookie and takes a bite before jolting in surprise. Twim laughs as he says with a wink, “First I find out how much of a good singer you are, and now you’re a cook? You’re almost too good to be _human._ ”

Zib flinches at the sentence, remembering how the kids back at his highschool picked on him. He hated those students, and he’s glad he didn’t have to see them again. Especially since they willingly accused him of being alien. Almost unbelievable if you think about the fact that he was only fused with alien DNA and was accused of being alien unlike Zim, who was full-blooded, but was home free...  
_How ironic..._

“Zib?”  
Zib jolts back to reality and looks back at Twim. He had a worried look on his face as he asked, “What’s wrong? Did I say something wrong?” Zib sips some of his pouched drink before responding, “No, no. I’m fine, really.” Twim clearly hadn’t bought it, but didn’t say anything as he grabbed another cookie. Twim chuckles as he jokingly says, “Well, now I really owe you that dinner after a lunch like this.” Zib snorts before he starts laughing along with Twim.

The rest of the date was filled with nothing but food and laughs as the sun slowly went down.


End file.
